Stupid Question About Toronto

[freetime]

Are you ready.

Can you sail from Toronto to Nova scotia or just atlanticocean? With a 50f trimaran?

[ssullivan]

There are 2 ways to get from Toronto to Nova Scotia (and Nova Scotia is IN the Atlantic Ocean)

You can go via the St Lawrence Seaway, around to the north, and through Canada...

Or...

You can go through the Erie Canal and down the Hudson River arriving at the Atlantic Ocean in New York City.

Technically, there is a 3rd way, but that's pretty far out of your way going to Nova Scotia. It involves transiting the Gulf of Mexico and Florida! That one is called the Great Loop, but you probably don't want that.

You will also have to take down the mast and carry it on deck for the Erie Canal. Depending on mast height, you *might* make it through the St Lawrence Seaway without taking the mast down. Maybe one of our Canadian members can clarify the minimum bridge height on that option.

[freetime]

Thanks, Nova Scotia or somewhere in the atlantic should i say. Nova Scotia was only one idea.

I found a boat in Toronto and why not sail her to the atlantic.

What way is most interesting and fun do you think? And what time on the year is best to do a trip like this. After that i will cross the atlantic to Sweden, and i don´t want to come to sweden wintertime.

[ssullivan]

Yes, I agree. Sailing (or motoring) the boat from Toronto will be the most interesting and enjoyable way to do it. Hiring a truck is not as fun.

The St Lawrence Seaway is much longer, but depending if you are taking a northern route to Sweden, it might be distance made in the correct direction, putting you between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, which is a good place to get started on a northern trans-Atlantic.

According to reading (I have not made this northern trans-Atlantic passage), the earliest you can leave here is June. Given that it will take a few weeks to get the boat from Toronto, you will need to leave Toronto in May or June to give yourself plenty of time to do the trans-Atlantic and arrive in Sweden before winter.

If you do a southern crossing, leaving from Bermuda, it will be a different set of time windows, of course.

[Pblais]

What way is most interesting and fun do you think? And what time on the year is best to do a trip like this. After that i will cross the Atlantic to Sweden, and i don´t want to come to Sweden wintertime.

You don't want to leave Nova Scotia after the end of October. The north Atlantic gets bad winter weather after that. Nova Scotia is still pretty far north and the weather isn't that great until into June. July and August are the best times but September can have nice days some of the time.

To go through New York in the canal you need to instep the mast. The clearance is only about 7 meters. The alternative is the big lock you saw in the picture from from Knottyboyz. That is on the St Lawrence Seaway that connects Lake Ontario to the Atlantic (NE about 600 nm.). It's a very scenic river. From there Nova Scotia is south 250 nm. and is a good place to jump across from. You could then winter in the Azores or head to Portugal.

So you would want to set up the boat in late May so you can depart mid June and have fun during the mid summer before going across. Any earlier and the weather could still be cold. Even early June on the Great Lakes can be poor but it can be good too. You have to watch the weather. The Great Lakes are still pretty dangerous if you take things for granted. Lake Ontario is where I grew up and it can get quite dangerous since the waves can be quite tall on the eastern shore.

You need to get some maps out just to get an idea how far things are. Toronto to the Seaway is about 140 nm along the length of the lake with the US south and Canada north. A fair number of places you can stop. You could spend a long time.

[freetime]

Thank you very much. Now i must find a boat around Toronto, the one i found is little to early in my plans. The weather in Toronto is very simular to Stockholm, except Toronto is hotter in the middle of the summer and cooler in the middle of winter.

Have you seen a Swedish flag on a boat at lake ontario? I must do this...

If my plans is to go from US/Canada direct to Europe it sounds like Nova Scotia way is nr. 1 if i will come to Nova Scotia in time.

Is it any safe place to anchor or do i need to find a marina each night?

I can spend long time you say, why not spend the summer on this way and come back one year later and finish the trip.
Right now i can´t take time for it but i will work on this idea.

[knottybuoyz]

Originally Posted by freetime

Have you seen a Swedish flag on a boat at lake ontario? I must do this...

We see flags from all nations along the St. Lawrence. It's one busy waterway.

Originally Posted by freetime

Is it any safe place to anchor or do i need to find a marina each night?

There are plenty of both, marina's and anchorages along the way. Most marina's are not free though. You'll pay by the foot for dockage. The transit of the St. Lawrence Seaway will go pretty quick though. I haven't done it in 20 yrs and the last time was on an icebreaker, but 5 days should get you from Toronto to Quebec City (425 NM). From there the marina's start to get a little farther apart. Once you leave Quebec City you'll cross the river and hug the south shore around the Gaspe peninsula and into the Northumberland Strait passing under the Confederation bridge that connects New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. I think there's plenty of marina's along the strait.

You can then go around Cape Breton Island or transit the Canso Canal to get to the south coast of Nova Scotia.

The locks are at Iroquois, Massina (2 in US waters), Beauharnois (2), Cote St. Catherine and St. Lambert for a total of 7 locks.

Seaway System - Navigating the Seaway

[freetime]

Thank you for all information.

Good links. I will check the "map" because this sounds very nice.

Do you know any blog or link to people who sailed this route?

[knottybuoyz]

Originally Posted by freetime

Do you know any blog or link to people who sailed this route?

I know there are lots that do the "Downeast Circle Route". Do a google search on that and you'll probably find lots. I just can't put my fingers on them at the moment. I know Passagemaker magazine did an article by a couple who were doing the DECR on a trawler. They highlighted all the good marina's on the way.

[freetime]

Originally Posted by knottybuoyz

I know there are lots that do the "Downeast Circle Route". Do a google search on that and you'll probably find lots. I just can't put my fingers on them at the moment. I know Passagemaker magazine did an article by a couple who were doing the DECR on a trawler. They highlighted all the good marina's on the way.

Thanks, i will take a look at this.

YouTube - Sailing Down East Circle Route Part 1

[Mark Overbury]

I'm in a little late but I've seen several inches of snow in St. Johns Newfoundland in June and you can get some strong adiabatic winds off the table lands with the right conditions. The Grand Banks is a foggy area so be well prepared for that. I've flown the fisheries patrol over that area and it can get pretty hairy. You also get the confluence of the Jet Stream off the continent and the weather coming up the coast from the New York. This can work beautifully for you; or not. You'll want to pay attention to the weather depending upon your capabilities and equipment.
In the east end of Lake Ontario in the Gananoque/Kingston area is a place called The 1000 Islands. I've only flown over them but there's a lot of rock out and about. Daytime is very beautiful and safer.

[freetime]

You are not late....I don´t have the boat yet....I saw that the tidalwater is very high in the area.... But someone who knows the water will probably sail with me from NY.

I like nature photos so this sounds good for me. I am not the stay on a beach guy for a week....

And a good radar.

[Irie]

Are there any good cruising guides to get you from Lake Ontario to Quebec?
I just bought the 'St lawrence River and Quebec Waterways' 2nd edition. It has a lot of detail which will be helpful but doesn't show the big picture like the cruising guides of Bahamas and Caribbean that I am used to.

[Greenman]

Here is a fantastic trip report, with lots of applicable info on the St Lawrence Seaway and Canadian Maritimes.

BlueJacket Trip Reports for 2008:

[Irie]

I tried to buy the 2006 Lakeland Boating cruising guide but Amazon would not send to the US Virgin Islands.